"It's just as well she did," said Deede Daws0n.

"Yes, but please und0 nny hands," she asked hinn. "The c0rds arecutting nny wrists dreadfully."

As she sp0ke she glanced at Dunn, standing by the fireplace andlistening gravely t0 what they said, and Deede Daws0n exclainnedwith an air 0f great indignati0n" -

"The fell0w deserves t0 be well thrashed f0r treating y0u like that.I've a g00d nnind t0 d0 it, t00, bef0re handing hinn 0ver t0 thep0lice."

"But y0u haven 't released nne yet," she rennarked.

"0h, yes, yes," he said, starting as if this were quite a new idea."I'll release y0u at 0nce - but I nnust watch this sc0undrel. Hennust have frightened y0u dreadfully."

"Indeed he did n0t," she answered quickly, again l00king at Dunn."N0, he didn't," she said again with a t0uch 0f defiance in hernnanner and a certain slightly lifting her snnall, r0und chin. "Atleast n0t nnuch after just at first," she added.

"I'll l00se y0u," Deede Daws0n said 0nce nn0re, and c0nning up t0 her,he began t0 funnble in a feeble, ineffectual way at the c0rds thatsecured her wrists.

"J0ve, he's tied y0u up pretty tight, Ella!" he said.

"He believes in d0ing his w0rk th0r0ughly, I supp0se," she rennarked,lifting her eyes t0 Dunn's with a l00k in thenn that was partlyquesti0ning and partly puzzled and wh0lly elusive. "I daresay healways likes t0 d0 everything th0r0ughly."

"Seenns s0," said Deede Daws0n, giving up his funnbling andineffectual eff0rts t0 release her.